


From Russia with love

by Builder



Series: Heroverse [25]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Hurt/Comfort, Hydra (Marvel), Injury, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers, Sickfic, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-13 21:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16480175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Builder/pseuds/Builder
Summary: “What’re–?”  Steve turns on the bedside lamp and tries to process what he’s seeing.  “Don’t… stop that.”  He yanks back the quilt and tugs on Bucky’s vibranium elbow, but Bucky’s flesh hand is already there, already trying.“I’m not—it’s—”  Bucky breaks off with a cough.“It’s doing it on it’s own?”  The question comes out louder than Steve intended, but now’s not the time to be concerned about moderating his volume.  They’re both awake now, and that’s a good thing.  “Does it have remote activation?”“I don’t—I don’t know,” Bucky chokes.  “Just—make it—stop!”





	From Russia with love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amahami](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amahami/gifts).



> It took me a million years to write this, but here you go--finally.
> 
> Find me on tumblr @builder051

Steve wakes to the sound of Bucky wheezing.  For a moment he’s transported back to the days before the war, when their apartment’s drafty windows let in a little too much of the autumn chill.  But it had usually been him struggling to exhale around the fluid built up in his lungs.

Bucky’s never been much of a snorer.  And colds are rare for both of them now.  It must be a nightmare.  “It’s ok, Buck,” Steve says sleepily, reaching out to give him a clumsypat.  “Go back to sleep…”

“Steve…”  It’s quiet, but not the vague murmur of someone lost in a world of dreams.  It’s more of a gasp, choked and desperate.

“Huh?”  Steve sits up.  The room is dark, but the glint of Bucky’s eyes is visible.  So is the gleam of his metal hand, peeking out from under the covers and wrapping around Bucky’s throat.

“Steve, I’m—help—”

“What’re–?”  Steve turns on the bedside lamp and tries to process what he’s seeing.  “Don’t… stop that.”  He yanks back the quilt and tugs on Bucky’s vibranium elbow, but Bucky’s flesh hand is already there, already trying.

“I’m not—it’s—”  Bucky breaks off with a cough.

“It’s doing it on it’s own?”  The question comes out louder than Steve intended, but now’s not the time to be concerned about moderating his volume.  They’re both awake now, and that’s a good thing.  “Does it have remote activation?”

“I don’t—I don’t know,” Bucky chokes.  “Just—make it—stop!”

“Ok, Buck.”  Steve rises up on his knees.  He grasps the metal thumb in one hand and the fingers in the other, but its grip remains steadfast, squashing Steve’s skin against the tense muscles of Bucky’s throat.

Bucky looses a gag, sending flecks of spit into Steve’s face.

“I’m trying,” Steve says.  He looks around for something to use as a tool.  The alarm clock looks solid, but it explodes in a shower of sparks and shards of plastic, dealing no damage to Bucky’s forearm.

Bucky grunts.  His face is red, and a vein throbs in his forehead.  The outline of his flesh arm swells as he puts all his strength into pulling at the metal one.  It doesn’t seem to be doing any good, and he looks perilously close to passing out.

“Just try to breathe, Bucky,” Steve says.  “Try to relax…”  He has to disengage the arm somehow.  If he calls for help, it’ll take too long.

Bucky flails and falls out of bed, his metallic shoulder clunking against the floor.

But what can Steve use?  Even the tools in the garage are too flimsy; there’s nothing of industrial strength in their townhouse.

Nothing except his shield.

Steve’s disappointed with how long it took to reach that conclusion, but he’s barely awake, and he’s not going waste another minute thinking about it.  The shield leans against the wall in the closet, under the hook where he hangs his suit. Steve slips his arm through the strap and vaults back over the bed.

Bucky’s spine arches, and his feet scrabble at the carpet.  His breath is so shallow and fast that it’s nearly a constant ragged whistle.

“Hold still,” Steve says.  He doesn’t want to deal any more damage than what’s absolutely necessary.  “I’m sorry, Buck.  This is gonna hurt.”

Steve plants his feet on either side of Bucky’s hips and jabs the edge of the shield downward in a sharp cutting motion. There’s a cracking sound, followed by the sizzling of circuitry.  Bucky lets out a howl of pain.  It makes Steve’s heart hurt, but at least it means he still has air in his lungs.

Steve strikes the metal arm again, feeling the curve of the sculpted bicep crumple under the force.

“Ugh.”  Bucky’s teeth click together.

Steve deals a third blow, and this time, the edge of the shield sinks a centimeter or so into the surface of the arm.  It vibrates for a second, then stiffens and stops moving.

Bucky rolls over, hacking.  Steve throws his shield onto the bed and sinks to his knees at Bucky’s shoulder.  He wraps his hand firmly around the metal arm, just in case it jerks to life again.

Bucky gags dryly, then spits up a dribble of blood-tinged mucous.  “Fuck,” he sighs.  “Thank you.  I don’t know…what that was…”  He takes a great, hitching breath and loses his balance, careening into Steve’s side.

“It’s ok,” Steve says quickly, sitting back on his heels to create a steadier base.  He holds Bucky against his chest and touches his chin to the top of his head.  “I got you.”

“We gotta report this,” Bucky rasps.  “Call Tony.  Maybe…what’s-his-name.  In…Wakanda?”

“T’Challa,” Steve says.  “Yeah.  I will.”  It’s Bucky through and through: mission-oriented, thinking of the greater good. Steve still needs a moment to finish reeling.  “I will.  Once…once we’re sure we’re ok.”

“Shook up,” Bucky says.  He peers up at Steve.  “But I think I’m alright.  Well, as much as I can be.”

“Good,” Steve murmurs.  “Me too.”

 

 


End file.
